The A Team
by ms. rosey cheeks
Summary: Story based on Ed sheerans song the a team. But not a song fic. One shot. A penny story. Please read and review.


**So this is a fic based off of Ed sheerans song The A Team. If you haven't heard it you should its amazing. I thought of this for Penny the second I heard the song. Forewarning this maybe sad. Also it ranges the 10 years she has been in CA. Disclaimer: I don't own any character or anything related to The Big Bang Theory; other then Cody. Nor do I own Ed Sheerans song. **

**Re-Edited. I fixed all/most of the mistakes that the original had. Sorry if I missed any.**

My name is Cody and I'm 15 years old. This is a story of my aunt Penny. She was the bravest person I've ever known. I am telling this to tell a story how someone can look like the have everything but really have nothing.

My story begins when I was only 6. I don't really remember this part but its what I've been told. Penny was 18 and determined to get out of Omaha. She was young and in love my grandma used to say. She packed all her things and drove to California with her boyfriend Kurt. My grandparents never really liked him but he had done nothing to make them suspicious if him.

This part I so remember; the day before she left I remember her squeezing me. Her telling me she was going to miss me; but she was going to be famous so i should look for her in movies. Her life dream was to be a star.

During the first year and a half she called us everyday. She always said the same thing." It's wonderful here. Going on a lot of auditions waiting for the right role. " Then the calls came once a week. Then they were down to once a month. To barely at all.

We always asked if we could visit. The answer was always "nows not a good time. We don't have a big enough place." It wasn't till much later we found out the truth.

Kurt had gotten in with the wrong kind of people in California. He used to only smoke pot; but these new friends of his introduced him to something new. Stronger. That would be a whole new high. Instantly he was hooked. He made Penny try it. Being an athlete first she wanted to stay away but if Kurt said it was ok then it must be.

They shared the pipe together. Sometimes they snort it. Both would get lost in the high.

The little auditions Penny went on before dwindled down to none. Neither of them working; they needed money for their addiction. In their minds their happiness.

Kurt pushed my aunt Penny into prostitution. He would select the men they either brought money or the drugs. Penny's self worth was so low she went along with it. This was their life for a long time.

On one of the many nights Penny was with her customers, as she called them, both enjoying the high when she felt a wave of anxiety. She couldn't breath which frightened her more. Kurt was gone, he was in his drug induced haze, along with the man next to her. She stumbled to the phone. She made one of the three most important phone calls of her life.

"911 what's your emergency?" The operator asked.

Penny spoke slow and soft praying the woman could hear her. " I think I'm about to OD please send someone. I'm at 687 Costa Rosa apt 10b."

"Paramedics are on their way. What is your name? Are you alone?"

Penny began to cry. She was so malnourished her body went into dry heaves. Every other word was practically missed, lucky for Penny the woman was able to catch all of them "Penny. No my boyfriend and his friend are here but their passed out. I can't breath please hurry."

"Are you able to walk with this phone?" The woman kindly asked?

Penny nodded as if the woman could see her then replied "yes."

"Ok slowly make your way to the door the paramedics will be there any moment."

In the distance she heard the sirens. The sounded like angels to her. She crawled to the door. She opened it "I made it." She whispered to the woman before passing out.

**XXXXXX**

The hospital called my grandparents told them what happened. Grandma was distraught. Her baby in the hospital because of an overdose. They took the next plane out to see her. After a week in the hospital; she kept getting sick from the withdrawals, she checked into rehab.

She was there for 6 months. When I turned 10 they took me to visit her. She didn't look the same she was much thinner. Not just her body, but her hair, even her eyes seemed smaller. She smiled when she saw me and I smiled at her. At the time I didn't understand what was going on with her. Only that she was in a hospital to make her better. I wanted her to get better.

My grandpa wanted her to come home to Nebraska after her time in rehab was over. "No dad I came out her to be an actress and that's what I'm going to be."

He relented but he told her he was picking the apartment, the job she got and he was going to check in her at first every day. Then once a week, then twice a month, then only once a month to make sure things were in order. It made her feel like a child but she realized that she had no right to complain.

She stopped seeing Kurt when she checked into rehab. He called her a wuss for giving up on them. She was heartbroken. She thought he loved her but he was mad she wouldn't sell her body for him anymore.

**XXXXX**

Grandpa had picked a small one bedroom apartment in Pasadena. "Just the right sort of apartment for an aspiring actress/waitress" Penny said.

She made new friends with her neighbors. They were genius scientists. But they treated my aunt Penny with respect; even though she only had a community college education. She was clean for 4 years.

My grandparents were happy and nervous when she started her on and off again relationship with her neighbor Leonard. "Penny you need stability and order. This back and forth isn't good for someone with your disease." My grandma warned.

Stubborn Penny refused to listen. She thought she knew what she was doing. Well Leonard and Penny broke up once again and it sent my aunt over the edge. She just didn't notice it because it happened slowly. A new busboy at work needed a ride home and offered her some of his stash as payment. If it had been the day before or even the day after she would of said no. But since that day was a rough day she said yes.

All her hard work gone just for a moment of joy.

Her friends noticed a change. She was distant and had many male visitors. More then she used to.

They pretended they didn't hear the landlord pound on the door for the months rent.

It was hard for her friend Sheldon to not say something. He never flat out asked what was wrong but he offered to lend her money for rent.

The Penny I knew was still there and she refused. She decided to sell her body once more.

They noticed her change. Her body thinning. Face becoming paler. None of them aware of what they should do. It wasn't until to late they realized what was wrong.

Sheldon heard the crash first. Penny always said that he had super hearing. He rushed to the door the other quickly followed. He didn't even do his knocking ritual and just opened the door. He learned from when my aunt fell in the shower she didn't like the knocking.

In the middle of the floor was my aunt Penny blue in the face. Leonard rushes to give her mouth to mouth. While Howard pounds her chest. Sheldon calls 911. Amy, Raj, and Bernadette can only stand to the side crying.

The paramedics arrive but it's too late my aunt Penny had lost her war with her demons.

I'm telling you this story at her funeral. I want my aunt to be remember for not the bad things, but the good. She had family and friends who loved her. I just wish she asked for our help when she needed it. I love you Penny and we miss you.


End file.
